Wheeled golf club carrier



Aug. 10, 1943. wc. MOFFITT WHEELED GOLF CLUB CARRIER Filed Oct. 2, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 10, 1943. w. c. MOFFITT 2,326,482

WHEELED GOLF CLUB CARRIER Filed Oct 2, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 10, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WHEELED GOLF CLUB CARRIER William C. Mofiitt, Salinas, Calif.

Application October 2, 1941, Serial No. 413,377

11 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the class of wheeled vehicles and pertains particularly to a wheel supported golf club carrier or bag.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a wheel supported golf club carrier or bag of novel design wherein the supporting wheels therefor, by means of which the transportation of the bag over the golf course is facilitated, may be readily swung upwardly into folded position at the sides of the bag when the latter is to Joe left standing for any length of time as, for example, when it is left in the club-house.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheel supported golf club carrier in which a novel means is provided for attaching the supporting wheels to the carrier whereby to provide a substantial and steady support which will avoid the possibility of the carrier becoming up-set Whiletravelling over rough terrain.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character stated wherein the supporting wheels are of novel design or construction which prevents them from becoming stuck or mired in soft ground or in sand traps or other sandy locations and which also prevents them from picking up sand or earth.

Still another object of-the invention is to provide in a device of the character stated, a foldable bottom brace designed for use when standing the carrier while the player is using a club, the said brace being foldable against the side of the lower part of the carrier so that it may be conveniently secured out of the way when the carrier is not in use.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a carrier of the character stated which is of relatively simple construction but which is strong and durable and also relatively light in weight whereby it may be easily and quickly transported from place to place without tiring the player or other persons having charge of the carrier.

The invention will be best understood from consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it being understood, however, that the invention is not to be considered as limited by the specific illustration or description but that such illustration and description constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates the device of the present invention. in side elevation, the handle being broken. away and the supporting wheel nearest the observer having been removed.

Fig. 2is a view in elevation of the rear portion of the wheeled carrier showing, in dotted outline. the supporting wheels in raised position.

Fig. 3 is asectional view taken substantially 0n the line 33 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8-6 of Fig, I to show the wheel plate securing means, the structure below such means being omitted.

Fig. 7 is a detailed View partlyin section'and partly in elevation showing the carrier supporting brace or foot in operative position together with the means for so securing it.

Fig. 8 is a detailed view showing in cross-section a portion of the tire unit of a wheel.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings it will be readily seen upon reference to Figures 1 and 2 that the carrier of the present invention comprises a vertical or upright receptacle R which comprises a lower box like portion indicated generally by the numeral Ill and an upper bag simulating portion which is indicated generally by the numeral l I. The lower box like portion or base of the receptacle is preferably formed of a suitable rigid or semirigid material such as sheet metal or the like and comprises a bottom or floor [2 having the upright side walls I3 and the front and rear walls. l4 and i5 respectively. This lower part of l the receptacle is of materially greater length than width, the width being approximately 4 inches and the length approximately 10 inches and the depth is also about 10 inches.

Each of the four corners of the base portion of the receptacle has secured therein a frame rod l6 which extends upwardly and is inclined slightly toward the rear of the carrier as shown in Fig. l and these corner rods are connected at their upperends by the rim I'l. At each side of the carrier there is also located an oblique brace or strut I8, shown in Fig. 1, which connects the top part of a front rod l5 with the lower part of the rod directly to the rear thereof.

The frame at the top of thereceptacle has secured thereto at each side the rearwardly extending plates l9 which are apertured to receive a bolt shaft 20. The bolt shaft supports a handle which is indicated generally by the numeral 2| and which comprises an outer end portion 22 which is grasped in the hand and the divergent inner end portions 23 between which the plates ii! are disposed. These inner end portions 23 and, as shown in Fig. 3, this shaft has a head upon one end which bears against the adjacent portion 23 while upon its other end it receives the wing nut 24. Between the ends of the handle and the plate l9 suitable washers 25 may be placed. These washers are of metal and as is shown there are two between each plate 19 and the adjacent portion 23 of the handle. One of these is welded or otherwise secured to the plate while the other one is similarly secured to the adjacent portion of the handle and the opposing faces of thewashers may be roughened so that when the wing nut is tightened the handle will- -be securely held against swinging on the shaft 20 but when it is loosened the handle may be raised or lowered and fixed in any desired position.

To the front side of the receptacle there is secured a carrying strap 26, one end of which may be attached to the rim l1 and the other end to the front wall of the bottom portion I of the receptacle. Between the rim l1 and the lower part of the receptacle the frame formed by the rods l6 and braces 18 is covered with a suitable fabric covering 21, of the character commonly used for golf bags and at the rear side of the receptacle this fabric body may be provided with suitable pockets 28 for golf balls, tees or other articles. Upon the forward side the bag has secured thereto a handle 29 to facilitate picking up the carrier. In addition to providing means for picking up and carrying the carrier, the handle 29 and the strap 23 serve to make the upper portion of the carrier look more like the conventional golf bag.

The rigid bottom part [0 of the carrier has secured horizontally across each side wall I3, a bar or strap 30 adjacent the bottom wall' l2, and a second strap 3| parallel with the lower strap 30 and intermediate the top and bottom of the portion In as is most clearly shown in Fig. 1. These straps or bars 30-3! have their ends turned at right angles to form the laterally extending ears 32.

Upon each side of the lower portion H! of the receptacle there are located two axle bails 33 each of which, as is shown in Fig. 5, is more or less U-shaped in design and has a central straight portion 34 and spaced parallel end portions 35 each of which terminates in the inwardly turned finger 36 which extends through an aperture in hinge ear 32.

As is shown in Fig. the intermediate portion of each axle plate bail is relatively short as compared to the over, all width of the bail or in other words as compared to the length of the body IO therefore the intermediate portions of the bails between the straight center portions 34 and the terminalportions 35, are oblique to the length of each terminal portion and these terminal portions are disposed upon the outer sides of the hinge ears 32 so that when the bail is oscillated upwardly or downwardly it will straddle the bar to which it is attached.

As is shown in Fig. 1 the two axle plate supporting bails 33 are located one above the other and disposed between and connecting the straight portions 34 of each pair of bails is an axle plate 31 which has its top and bottom edges rolled to form the sleeves 38 and 39 respectively through which the adjacent straight portion of a bail extends.

The lower sleeve 33 of each axle plate is cen- 2,326,482 have the bolt shaft 20 extended therethrough trally cut away as indicated at 40, for the purpose about to be described.

Secured to the center of each axle plate 31 is a short laterally extending axle 4| upon which is mounted a wheel indicated generally by the numeral 42 and hereinafter described in detail.

To the centra1 part of the bar 3| adjacent each axle, there is secured a hinge ear 43 and'to this ear there is pivotally attached one end of a two part brace arm which is indicated generally by the numeral 44. This brace arm is preferably formed of channel material and it comprises a short portion 45 and a long portion 45, which suitable pivot pin 41. The short portion of the brace arm is of less width than the other portion so that itmay be disposed within the channel of the longer portion when the arm is broken and folded for the raising of the adjacent wheel from the ground in the manner hereinafter set forth. This short portion is attached at its other end to the bracket or ear 43 as shown in Fig. 4. Also as is shown in this figure, the inner end of the longer portion 46 has the back or web therefor extended to form a stop finger 4611 which engages against the back or web portion of the shorter portion 45 to maintain the two portions in alined relation. At its end the web of the longer portion 46 of the brace arm isextended and turned or rolled back to form the hinge sleeve 48 and this is extended through the opening 40 of the adjacent axle plate and pivotally encircles or encloses the straight central part 34 of the lower bail 33.

Attached at one end to each axle plate 31 is a contractile spring 49, the other end of which is secured; as at 50 to the adjacent side of the lower portion III of the carrier receptacle. When the axle plate is swung outwardly to vertical position as shown in Figures 2 and 4 this spring is under tension but due to the fact that the pivot centers of. the brace arm are in alinement lengthwise of the arm, it maintains its rigid straight condition against the pull of the spring. However if a downward pressure is applied to the center of the arm to cause it to break downwardly then the spring will react to swing the axle plate upwardly, oscillating the two bails 33 as will be well understood.

The wheel 42 carried by each axle 4| comprises a suitable hub 5| which is maintained rotatably in position upon the axle and spokes 52 connect the ends of the hub with a rim 53 which, as shown in Fig. 8, is of double channel form to receive apair of pneumatic tires 54. These tires lie in closely adjacent relation but in order to prevent sand or earth working between them there is placed in the channel formed between the two tires, the solid tire 55 which closes the space between the pneumatic tires so that the three tires are in effect made into a single unit to provide-a broad tread area.

As shown in Fig. 2 the wheels 42 are designed to be swung upwardly into inoperative position against the side of the lower part of the receptacle and in order to maintain them in this inoperative position where they are a substantial distance above the bottom of the receptacle so that the latter may rest directly upon the ground or the floor, the following securing mechanism is employed at each end of the lower part of the receptacle.v There are two of these,

. securing mechanisms each of which engages two same reference characters will be employed for the two devices.

Each of the securing mechanisms by which a pair of axle plates is held in raised position, comprises a substantially U-shaped bar 56 which is preferably formed of flat material such as strap iron and each of these bars extends across an end wall of the lower portion 16 of the receptacle as shown in Fig. 6. The bar 56 has a long intermediate or central portion and the short angularly extending end portion 51 each of which extends along and parallel with a side wall [3. Each end wall l4 and i5 has secured thereto a laterally extending guide plate 58 which is provided with a suitable vertical slot, not shown, to receive the laterally turned end 5'! of the bar 56 which is adjacent thereto.

Upon each side wall i 3 adjacent each of the angularly extending ends 51 of the bars 56, are the two horizontally spaced guides 56 each of which has a slot or opening 60 therethrough to receive the adjacent portion 51.

Each of the turned portions 57 of the bars 56, carries a keeper member 6! which has a head provided with a beveled face 62 which is directed toward but spaced from the adjacent side wall l3 as is shown in Fig. 6. These keepers 6! may be reciprocated in pairs by grasping the bars 56 and moving them toward or away from the adjacent end wall of the portion In of the receptacle as will be readily apparent upon consideration of Fig. 6 of the drawings and when the bars 56 are separated or moved outwardly away from the adjacent end walls until the ends of the keeps 6| are in engagement with and the keepers are stopped by the plate 58, the axle plates 31 may be disposed between a pair of adjacent guides 59 as indicated in dotted outline in Fig. 6.

By then moving the bars 56 back toward their adjacent end walls the keepers will be extended so that the beveled faces 62 will slide across the adjacent edges of the axle plate and thus secure the latter, together with the wheels and axles, in the raised position shown in Fig, 2.

Each of the turned portions 5! of the bars 56, has a notch 63 cut in its lower edge as shown in Fig. l, to receive the bottom edge of the slot in the space 58 through which this portion of the securing mechanism passes, when the bar 56 is pulled out to disengage the latches from the axle plate or place them in inoperative position to permit the axle plate to be raised into place to be secured.

In order that the receptacle may be left in a standing position convenient to the removal of golf clubs therefrom, without raising the supporting wheels from the ground and causing the receptacle to rest upon the bottom of the portion In, there is provided a brace or foot in the form of a plate 66 which is pivotally attached to the forward wall it of the lower part ll] of the receptacle as shown in Figures 1 and '7. As is shown this foot plate is maintained in position by disposing a bar 65 across the bottom of the wall It and providing the forwardly extending hinge ears 66 between which is mounted a shaft 61. One transverse edge of the foot plate 64 is turned or rolled to form a hinge sleeve 68 through which the bar 6')? passes so that the plate can be oscillated into a. forwardly extending position or to a vertical position where it will be' substantially parallel with the adjacent front wall l4.

The forward edge of the foot plate ,64 is also rolled to form a hlnge'sleeve 69 which carries a bar 10 and the central portion of this sleeve is suitably cut away, not shown, but in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1 in connection with the lower part of the axle plate 31, so that the bar ll! may be exposed intermediate its ends to be pivotally coupled with one of the two hingedly coupled portions of a brace arm H. The two portions of this brace arm, which are formed of channel material, are indicated by the numerals l2 and i3 and as shown in Fig. '7 the portion 12 is pivotally attached at one end of thebar 10 while its other end is pivotally coupledv by a hinge pin 16, with an end of the portion 13 and the free upper end of the portion 13 is pivotally attached by a pin 15 which is supported between suitable ears 16 attached to the wall id adjacent the upper part thereof. The inner end of the longer portion l2 of the brace arm is extended as indicated at 12a to engage the adjacent under side of the shorter portion 13 when the arm is straightened out so as to maintain the two portions in alined relation and thus hold the foot plate 64 in a forward and upward extending position. Thus it will be seen that when the receptacle is oscillated forwardly the foot .plate will engage the ground and maintain v the receptacle with the upper portion ll substantially in vertical position or in forwardly extending position where the user may most conveniently remove the golf clubs as desired.

In the use of the present device it will be readily apparent that the golfer or caddy when going around the course will grasp the handle 22 and push or pull the receptacle so as to run the same over the ground on the supporting wheels. As previously stated if it is desired to lift the entire device from the ground this may be done by means of the handle 29 or the device may be carried by putting the shoulder strap 26 over the shoulder in the customary manner of carrying a golf bag. When it becomes necessary to stop the receptacle so that the player wheels may be also folded upwardly and inwardly against the side walls, as shown in Fig. 2 so that the receptacle may rest directly upon the bottom of the lower portion l6. By loosening the wing nut 24 the handle 2| may also be shifted so as to assume a downward position against the rear of the receptacle thus reducing the carrier to its minimum size.

What is claimed is: v

1. A carrier of the character stated, comprising a vertically disposed relatively long receptacle consisting of a lower box like portion having rigid side walls and a rigid bottom and relatively long fabric upper portion simulating a golf bag, said upper portion being disposed longitudinally at an angle with respect to the height of the lower portion, a pair of supporting wheels disposed one upon each of two opposite sides of the lower portion of the receptacle, a pair of superposed arms pivotally coupled to each of said sides and to the adjacent wheels to swing vertically on horizontal and parallel axes to effect raising and lowering of the wheels between positions closely adjacent to the receptacle sides and outwardly and downwardly therefrom,

while maintaining the wheels always with their turning axes perpendicular to the receptacle sides, and means for securing the wheels in raised and lowered positions.

2. A carrier of the character described comprising a relatively long vertically disposed receptacle, a plate member disposed upon each of two sides of the receptacle adjacent the lower part thereof and in a vertical plane parallel with the adjacent side, means coupling each plate with the adjacent side of the receptacle for oscillation on a horizontal axis whereby the plate will be moved upwardly and inwardly to a position adjacent the sides of the receptacle and downwardly and outwardly away from the receptacle and maintained always parallel with the said adjacent side, a wheel rotatably coupled to the outer side of each plate to turn on an axis extending perpendicular to the plate, means for securing each of said plates in the outwardly disposed position wherein said wheels are positioned to support the receptacle from the ground, and means for maintaining the plates and wheels in raised upwardly disposed position at the sides of the receptacle when said securing means is released.

3. A golf club carrier of the character stated comprising a relatively long vertically disposed receptacle open at its top, a pair of vertically spaced laterally extending bails pivotally attached to each of two opposite sides of the receptacle at the lower part thereof to oscillate on axes extending horizontally from the front to the rear of the receptacle, a plate member carried by and connecting outer extremities of each pair of bails and disposed vertically when said bails are extended outwardly from the receptacle, a wheel axle carried byeach plate, a

wheel supported upon each axle, means for securing said bails in extended position whereby said wheels are disposed for contact with the ground and the receptacle is supported above the ground, and means for securing said plates adjacent to the sides of the receptacle When said first securing means is released and the bails have been swung upwardly and inwardly whereby the lower part of the receptacle may be disposed directly upon the ground.

4. A carrier structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein the said first mentioned means comprises a foldable brace arm operatively coupled between each axle plate and the adjacent side of the receptacle, and said second mentioned securing means comprises latching element slidably supported upon the sides of the receptacle for operativeengagement over adjacent sides of the axle plates when the latter are disposed in close parallel relation with the adjacent sides of the receptacle.

5. In a structure as set forth in claim 3, a contractile spring connected between each axle plate and the adjacent side of the receptacle, said spring being-maintainedunder tension when the first mentioned securing means is operative to maintain the bails in extended position and functioning to draw the axle plate upwardly to a position to be engaged by the second mentioned securing means, when the first mentioned securing means is released.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 3 in which the second mentioned securing means comprises a bar member extending transversely of the front and rear walls of the receptacle, means supporting each bar member for movement toward and away from the adjacent wall. each bar member having a portion of each end angularly turned to. extend across the adjacent side of the receptacle, and a keeper member carried by each angularly turned end of each bar and adapted to be shifted across anedge of an axle plate when the latter is swung with the bails into inoperative position against the adjacent side of the receptacle.

7. In a carrier structure as set forth in claim '3, a ground engaging foot plate pivotally attached to the lower part of the front of the receptacle to be oscillated relative to the receptacle upon an axis extending transversely thereof, and a hinged brace arm operatively coupled between said plate and the receptacle for maintaining the plate in'a forwardly and upwardly inclined position for contact with the ground when the receptacle is oscillated forwardly upon its supporting wheels.

8. A carrier, comprising a body, a pair of arms disposed upon each of two opposite sides of the body and arranged in spaced relation one above the other, the arms of each pair being pivotally attached to the body to oscillate on horizontal parallel axes, a pair of supporting wheels, a short axle for and supporting each wheel, a pivotal connection between each axle and the outer ends of a pair of arms by which the outer ends of the arms have turning movement relative to the adjacent axle on horizontal axes paralleling the axes of oscillation for their inner ends, said pairs of arms when oscillated downwardly moving the wheels outwardly and downwardly to a ground engaging position and when oscillated upwardly moving the wheels upwardly and inwardly to positions in close proximity to the adjacent sides of the body, the wheels being at all times maintained with their axles substantially perpendicular to the adjacent sides of the body.

9. A carrier as set forth in claim 8, including a contractile spring connected with the outer ends of each pair of arms and with the adjacent side of the body above the inner ends of the arms and normally urging swinging of the arms upwardly and inwardly, and a jointed brace arm operatively coupled between the outer ends of each pair of arms and the adjacent side of the body and functioning when extended to maintain the adjacent pair of arms in outwardly extended position against the tension of the adjacent spring.

10. A carrier of the character stated comprising a relatively long receptacle designed to be used in upright position and having its upper end open, a pair of bails pivotally attached to each side of the receptacle adjacent the other end to oscillate on spaced parallel axes toward and away from the plane of the adjacent side of the receptacle, a plate carried by and connecting the outer extremities of each pair of bails, said plates being disposed vertically when the attached pair of bails is oscillated outwardly away from the said plate, a wheel axle carried by each plate, a wheel supported upon each axle, means for securing said bails in position when the bails are oscillated outwardly to position the wheels for contact with the ground and to maintain the receptacle supported above the ground, and means maintaining said plates in position when the said securing means is released and the bails are oscillated toward said plate whereby the wheels will be retracted in operative position above the bottom of the receptacle. 11. A carrier of the character stated, comprising a relatively long receptacle designed to be disposed vertically when in use and having its upper end open, a pair of superpose substantially U-shaped bails pivotally connected to each of two opposite sides of the receptacle adjacent the inner end to oscillate on spaced parallel axes towards the receptacle and into inoperative position and away from the receptacle and into operative position,- a flat plate member pivotally connected at opposite edges between the outer extremities of each pair of bails whereby the plate will be shifted upon oscillation of the bails to operative and inoperative positions therewith and be maintained at all times in a vertical plane, a wheel axle carried by each plate, a

wheel supported upon each axle, bracing means for securing said balls and plate against movement when the balls are oscillated to operative position, said wheels being in position to support the receptacle above the ground when the bails are in operative position, the wheels being raised above the bottom of the receptacle when the bails are in inoperative position, and spring means forming an operative connection between the outer extremities of the bails and the adjacent receptacle and normally functioning to cause upward oscillation of the bails to inoperative position.

WILLIAM C. MOFFI'I'I. 

